“You’re right,” I say huskily, curling my fingers around her wrist when she reaches for the pocket where my phone is. “But it ain’t that easy.”

“What? You forget where the numbers are?”

Her body is flush against mine in one gentle tug. I wrap my arm around her body, my fingers brushing her hip, and I lower my mouth to her ear. “I didn’t forget where the numbers are.” I pause. “Sunshine, I ain’t lookin’ for no numbers. I’m lookin’ for you to shut your pretty little mouth so I can tell you what I have to, before I shut it for you.”

“Try it and I’ll shut yours.”

“Damn, Jessie.” I slide my hand across her ass until I link my fingers between hers. “Anyone tell you you’ve got one hell of a temper on you?”

“Every day,” she grinds out, her body a plank of wood.

“You gonna keep that mouth shut for two minutes, eh, sunshine?”

“You gonna shut yours after?”

“That’s when you get the pleasure of shutting it for me.”

“Lips zipped,” she mutters.

I smile, dipping my head so my lips are by her ear once more. I hesitate, and fuck, I revel in the way she breathes sharper at our closeness. I delight in the way she trembles when my lips brush the lobe of her ear. “Jessie,” I whisper, “It ain’t as simple as you think to tell him to stay away from you. When you were obliviously frothing that milk, shaking your ass side to side to the song on the radio, he asked me who I am to you. And for some goddamn stupid reason, I told him I’m your boyfriend.”

She freezes. “You. Fucking. What?”

“I told him I’m your boyfriend,” I repeat, holding her firmly against me, ghosting my lips down her jaw. “Now it’s simple.”

“Really,” she replies dryly.

“Really.”

“Enlighten me before I twist your balls into tomorrow’s cereal,” she growls.

“That temper is real sexy, in a sick kinda way.”

“Aidan!”

I laugh, letting go of her hands and wrapping my arms around her body. I clasp my hands at the base of her back, because no way will she let me speak unless she’s pinned against me this way. “What I tell you stays with you,” I whisper against her mouth.

She pulls back so our mouths aren’t touching. “Last night did.”

“Kye and I have been warned to clean up our acts,” I say quietly. “Tate’s . . . idiocies . . . are just dying down. For all intents and purposes, everyone is waiting for us to fuck up. First Conner, then Tate—it’s only right that we’re next. We’ve been told to behave.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I planned to stay quiet until the New Year. Just chill with my family. Then I saw you, and it wasn’t such an option.”

“You sound like you’re spewing this shit from a high schooler’s Facebook post commemorating her one-month anniversary with her boyfriend.”

I fight my smile. “Now half Shelton Bay thinks I’m your boyfriend,” I continue, ignoring her. “And it would be a real big help if they and the rest of the world could think that, just for a few weeks.”

Jessie flattens her hands against my stomach and pushes back. “You’re serious?” Her eyes widen, her eyebrow shooting upward and her mouth forming a little o. “Oh my god. You are, aren’t you? You’re freakin’ serious.”

I nod once, not releasing my grasp on her.

“You’re insane.”

I nod again.

She rubs her hand down her face, running her fingers through her bright hair. “And what do I get out of this, huh? Do I get the honorable privilege of being a rock star’s girlfriend until he’s bored of the charade?”

“No.” I cup her chin and force her to look at me. “You get to tell me when it ends—as long as you agree to start it.”

“You already started it. I don’t have a damn choice, do I?”

I grin. “Not really.”

“No. You know what? I have a choice. I always have a choice. I won’t conform to your idiotic, random comment just because you need to keep your nose clean.” She forces my arms away from her and walks back a few steps. “I don’t even like you, Aidan, and you never have liked me. What in the hell makes you think we can make a fake relationship work?”

“It doesn’t have to work,” I explain, folding my arms. “It just has to be believable. Smile, pretend you like me, kiss my cheek, whatever. Just be nice. You know, like normal people do?”

“Ha! Joker.” She glares at me. “No. I won’t do it. I won’t be your fake little bitch so you can keep your ass out of trouble.”

“You asked me what you get out of it.” I walk toward her and take her hands, dropping them to her sides and clasping the sides of her face. She looks like she wants to shove me into the tree trunk behind her, to be honest. “You get your ex leaving you alone. Thinking you’ve moved on. Baby, I ain’t askin’ you to like me. I’m askin’—”

“Me to lie for you.”

“And for you.”

“Are you really turning this around on me?” She shakes her head. “You dick.”

“Happens to be my other middle name.” I lean in. “Think about it, Jessie,” I say softly into her ear. “You want him to leave you alone. I want my manager to leave me alone. It doesn’t have to be long. For all the world knows, we were seeing each other while I was gone, but you realized you couldn’t handle my fame when I came back.”

Her hands tremble at her sides, and she forces them between us, wrapping them around her waist tightly. “I don’t like you, Aidan Burke, and don’t expect me to. That said, you’ve almost forced me into it with your loose lips, and I have to, begrudgingly, admit that your idea has merit.”

I grin.

“But don’t think I won’t kick your ass the second the cameras are down or we’re behind a closed door.” She slides her hand up and presses two fingers against my mouth the way she did last night. Her dark eyes gleam up at me, full of fire and life. “I will kick your ass, okay? I’ll be the biggest goddamned pain in that ass you’ve ever felt. But if it means my ex-boyfriend will leave me alone, I’ll play the part of girlfriend so well you’ll be nominating me for a fucking Oscar next year.”

I swallow my smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And if you ma’am me, I will beat you.”

“Noted, sunshine.”

“And that nickname is really pissing me off.”

“I’m not compromising on everything.” I release her. “Besides, the tabloids love a good nickname.”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” she mutters, sweeping her hair around to one side. “I guess this means I have a date to the Halloween party next weekend.” Jessie sighs, looking back down at the creek.

“And you have to practice kissing me like you mean it.”

“Don’t push your luck, Aidan Burke.”

Sofie blinks at me through blond bangs. “You did . . . what?”

“You really want me to say it again?”

She rubs her hand down her face. “Are you insane? She hates you!”

I smirk.

“Ads . . .” She rolls her eyes. “Okay, obviously not that much, but a fake relationship? Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”

“Yep,” Tate replies for me. “Because unlike the rest of us, he’s the only one who’s had a successful relationship.”

“As evidenced by the fact I am currently single,” I drawl sarcastically at my big brother. “Get a load of that success!”

“Don’t be a little prick.”

“Every big prick needs a little one.”

“Dollars!” Mila shrieks, stomping across the room with her hand out and her chubby fingers clenching in a “gimme” motion. Dutifully, we both dig dollar bills out of our pockets and hand them over. “Tankoo.” She narrows her bright blue eyes, then points at the space between us. “No fight! Bad Uncy Tay and Uncy Ad!”

Sofie smiles behind her glass of juice.

“She’s real bossy, you know that, right?” I look at Sofie. “She’s getting more and more like you. That’s gotta stop.”

Her smile sweetens as she puts her glass down. “Remember who your new fake girlfriend is, Aidan,” she coos. “Remember she’s been my friend since I could undo my own diaper. I could have some real fun with this little scenario.”